Binding device



NO- 23, 1943. A. R. Gus'rAFsoN BINDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 12, 1942 44.....mmm

m. awfw Patented Nov. 23, 1943 `LIMITED STATE@ FATENT CFFICE g,335,057BINDING DEYIQE Arthur, EL Gustafson, .hiegof 1.1L Application January12, 1942, Serial No. 426,385

9 Claims. (Cl. 2551+425) The present invention relates to lbindingdevices of the type used in connection with looseleaf records and lesadapted to be stacked and permanently bound for storage and futurereference.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel binding device ofthe above mentioned general type which is simple in construction, cheapto manufacture, easy to use and effective for permanently binding recordor other` file pages in book form.

It is a `further object of the invention to provide a new and improveddevice of this character which may be easily and quickly applied to binda plurality of record pages into book form and which, when so assembledto form a permanent record book, will permit the storing of a pluralityof such books in flat face-to-face relation, requiring minimum storagespace.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel bindingdevice which may be used in connection with stacks of pages of varyingheights and which includes simple, yet effective, means for rigidlymaintaining the thickness dimension of the stack.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide afdevice ofthis character including new and improved means for identifying therespective stacks of bound material and which may be employed inconnection with stacks of any size.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a binding d evice in association witha stack of record pages and embodying the features of the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Fig. 1 and showingthe stack of bound material in dot and dash outlines.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one corner of the stack ofmaterial, illustrating certain details of construction.

Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective view similar to Fig. 3 and showing thebinding device only partially assembled with respect to the stack ofpages.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a backing member adapted for associationwith the bound record pages illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional View on an enlarged scaletaken through the rear of the assembly of Fig. V1.

`While the invention is susceptible of various modications andalternative constructions, I have shown in the drawing and will hereindescribe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understoodthat I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific formdisclosed, but intend to Cover all modications and alternativeconstructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

As is frequently necessary in large business establishments where agreat mass of loose-leaf correspondence and record pages accumulate andmust be stored in the form of permanent records, means are provided forpermanently binding stacks of accumulated pages of various sizes so thatthe records may be stored for easy reference. One of the difficultiesencountered heretofore in connection with the binding and storing ofsuch record material is that the binding means, if convenient to applyand effective to permanently and securely bind the material, hasconventionally been of a type rendering the storing of the stacksincovenient. Thus, for example, binding posts have been employed whichprotrude from the top and botto-m of the stacks and interfere withcompact storage thereof. In organizations such as railroad oilices atremendous quantity of this material accumulates, and compact storage isof utmost importance. At the same time a binding means which is easy toapply and remove, which will render the records conveniently accessiblefor reference purposes, and which is simple in construction and eiectiveto permanently bind the records must be provided.

Applicant has provided by the instant construe.- ton a novel device`which may be used to permanently and securely bind stacks of recordmaterial of varying sizes into neat bound volumes which are convenientlyaccessible for reference and which have no protruding elements tointerfere with compact storage. At the same time, applicant has provideda device which is simple in construction, which may be manufacturedcheaply and which is extremely simple and effective in use.

The embodiment of the present invention, selected for illustration,comprises generally a stack of pages I0 having on its respectiveopposite faces backing boards or covers H and I2 formed with weakeninggrooves 3 extending longitudinally of the rear edge of the stack andadjacent thereto to permit opening of the covers and provide easyaccessibilityv to the pages contained in the bound volume.

In the present instance, a two-part binding for the stack of pagescomprises two fiat strips of metal I4 and I5 each having end portions I6and I'I lying iiat against the faces of the stack parallel to the boundedge thereof and an intermediate portion I8 extending edgewise intoslits I 9 and 20 cut in the end edges of the stack. The intermediate andend portions of each strip are integrally connected together by doublebends 2I which will lie fiat against the opposite faces of the stack andrigidly determine the thickness dimension of the stack. As illustratedherein, these double bends are formed by bending the end portions IS andI'I rst on a transverse line 22 at right angles to the intermediateportion I8 (Fig. 4) to extend parallel with the side edges of the stackand project rearwardly therefrom. Thereafter the ends are bent on aforty-ve degree line 23 at one hundred eighty degrees to the first bentportion to lie flat against the faces of the stack parallel to the boundedge thereof. In this position, it will be seen that one side edge ofthe bent end portion lies substantially in the plane of the intermediateportion. Suitable means, such, for example, as crimped fasteners 2li and25 are provided for securing the overlying ends of the strips to holdthem in the side edge slits I5 and 2G.

In assembling a stack of pages into a bound volume, all that isnecessary is to cut the pair of complementary slits I9 and 29 in theopposite side edges of the stack adjacent the real` thereof in anysuitable fashion. I have found that the slits may be desirably formed assaw kerfs. The intermediate portions I8 of the strips I4 and I5 are theninserted edgewise in the slits I9 and 2Q and, depending on the thicknessdimension of the stack, the right angle bends 22 are formed so that theends I6 and I7 of the strips extend rearwardly from the stack inparallelism to the side edges thereof. (Fig. 4.) bends 23 on forty-fivedegree lines are formed in each strip adjacent the bend 22 to producethe double bend 2l. This second bending operation projects the end edgesof the strips flatwise along the rear edge of the stack, in whichposition the overlapping edges are secured by the fasteners 2li and 25.

It will be apparent that by virtue of this construction the pages may befirmly clamped and bound and any tendency of the pages to separate isresisted by the double bends ZI which are held firmly in position bytension on the intermediate portions I8 of the strips lying within theslits I9 and 2). Thus, the double bend formations serve as rigid meansfor determining the thickness dimensions of the stack and any tendencyof the strips to bow or move outwardly under the spreading force of thepages is obviated.

I have provided a marker or identifying means which may be associatedwith stacks of pages of any thickness. In the present instance, thisidentifying means comprises a channel-shaped member 26 (Fig. 5) havingan intermediate flat portion 21 adapted to lie against the rear edge ofthe bound volume and a pair of legs 28 and 29 extending at right anglesto the intermediate portion 2li and adapted to lie between the pages ofthe stack. Desirably, the channel member 26 is of substantially the samelength dimension as that of the bound stack and the legs 23 and 29thereof are formed with complementary slits 30 and 3I respectively whichregister with the slits I9 and 2E and are adapted to receive theintermediate portions I3 of the strips I Li and I5. It will be observedthat regardless of the thickness Thereafter the f of the stack of pagesI 6 the identifying means may be associated therewith by simplyinserting the leg portions of the channel-shaped member between theappropriate pages of the stack prior to assembly of the binding devicesId and I 5 therewith.

It will be apparent from a consideration of the foregoing that I haveprovided a new and improved binding device which is extremely simple inconstruction and accordingly cheap to manufacture. At the same time thetwo-part binding device is easy to use and extremely eiective for nrmlysecuring a stack of record pages in book form. Such records may beconveniently stored in the minimum amount of space and are convenientlyaccessible for future reference. The pages are rmly clamped between thedouble bends 2I and any separating tendency is resisted by a straighttension thrust imparted to the intermediate portions of the strips lyingwithin the slits.

I claim as my invention:

1. A two-part binding for a stack of pages comprising two at strips eachhaving portions adapted to lie fiat against the faces of the stackparallel to the bound edge thereof, and a portion adapted to extendedgewise into a slit in one end edge of the stack and located in a planeparallel to the longitudinal edges of the rstmentioned portions, theportions being connected by a double bend rigidly determining the lengthof the last-mentioned portion, the ends of each strip being secured tothe ends of the other strip to hold the strips in the slits.

2. A device for binding a stack of pages comprising, in combination, apair of metal strips, each having an intermediate portion adapted to beinserted edgewise into a slit cut into the end edges of the pages, eachend of each strip being bent into a plane at a right angle to the planeof said portion and extending parallel to the width of said portion tolie ilatwise against the face of the stack and to extend parallel to theback edge of the stack, the bent portions providing relatively rigidmeans determining the length of said portion.

3. A device for binding aA stack of pages cornprising, in combination,a, pair of metal strips, each strip having an intermediate portionadapted to be inserted edgewise into a slit cut into an end edge of thestack, each end of each strip being bent on a transverse line at rightangles to said intermediate portion and then on a fortyi'ive degree lineso that one side edge of said end lies in the plane of said portion andsaid end of each strip lies flatwise against the face of the stack andextends parallel to the back edge of the stack, and means for securingthe adjacent ends 0I" the strips together.

4. A device for binding a stack of pages comprising a metal strip havingan intermediate portion adapted to be inserted edgewise into a slit cutin an end edge of the stack, each end of said strip being bent on atransverse line at right angles to said intermediate portion and then ona forty-five degree line at one hundred eighty degrees to the rst bentportion so that the end portions of said strip lie fiatwise against theface of the stack and extend parallel to the back edge of the stack.

5. A device for binding a stack of pages comprising, in combination, apair of metal strips, each having an intermediate portion adapted to beinserted edgewise into a slit cut into an end edge of the stack, eachend of each strip being bent to lie flat against a face of the stack andto extend parallel to the bound edge thereof, the bent portions of eachstrip including overlapping parts of the strip lying iiat against thefaces of the stack and rigidly maintaining the length of saidintermediate portion, and means for securing the adjacent ends of thestrips together.

6 A device for binding a stack of pages comprising, in combination, apair of metal strips secured at their ends to provide a loop adapted toextend around thestack, each strip comprising an intermediate portionand two end portions, the intermediate portion being connected to each'end portion by a double bend on lines respectively transverse and atforty-live degrees to the width of the strip.

7. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, apair of metal strips secured together at theirends to provide a loop,each strip comprising an intermediate portion connected to two endportions by double bends,

each double bend being on a line substantially crosswise of the stripand a line at an angle to the width of the strip, the two lines meetingat one edge of the strip.

8. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, apair of metal strips secured together at their ends to provide a loop,each strip comprising an intermediate portion and two end portions,ea'ch end portion being connected to the intermediate portion by adouble bend on lines at diierent angles to the width of the strip andmeeting at one edge of the strip.

9. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, apair of metal strips secured together at their ends to provide a loop,each strip comprising an intermediate portion and two end portions, eachend portion being connected to the intermediate portion by a double bendalong two angularly related lines providing an overlapping of the stripbetween said lines.

ARTHUR R. GUSTAFSON.

